The present invention relates both to a method and to apparatus for establishing a conference or multi-party call including members of a wireless local area network, particularly, although not exclusively, a low power radio-frequency network (LPRF).
The development of wireless local area networks has stemmed from a desire to replace the cabling and line of sight techniques presently required to connect modern digital electronic equipment such as personal computers, printers, facsimile machines and the like. In addition, the network confers the further advantage of enabling users to form relatively small ad hoc networks or piconets which can bridge to existing voice and data networks and, indeed, another piconet to form a multiple piconet structure or scatternet.
A digital device capable of utilising a wireless local area network will be provided with a module providing additional functionality in the form of a radio unit, a link control unit, link management and the relevant software including that necessary to interface with the functionality of the device. It has been proposed to provide cellular radio telephone with such a module. Once connected to the network a user of the telephone should be able to transfer data such as phone book entries, for example both to and from his telephone to other devices such as a personal computer, a printer or the like attached to the network.
A traditional use of telephones for group working has been conferencing. Traditionally, a conference call has been established using the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). Such a call to multiple participants requires the establishment, over the PSTN of a number of connections.
Consequently, a conference call has been much more expensive in terms of both network resources and subscriber charges than a typical point to point call. Furthermore, it can be difficult and time-consuming to set up a conference call particularly if a language barrier exists in dealing with a network operator.
It is thus an aim of the present invention to attempt to reduce the cost and complexity involved in making a conference call. It is a further aim of the invention to seek to provide a conference call facility on a network having only limited telephony resources.